Garment carrying frame for luggage cases



Oct. 6,'1942; A. LEvlNE GARMENT CARRYING FRAME FOR LUGGAGE CASES Filed Oct. 6, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,#ATTORNEY.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvEzyToR Zzzz/n/ Lev ATTORNEY.

Oct. 6, 1942. A. I EvlNE GARMENT CARRYING FRAME FOR LUGGAGE CASES Filed oct. e, 195s II- ri A, )Vuil/ Oct. 6, 1942. A, EV1NE 2,297,903

GARMENT CARRYING FRAME FOR LUGGAGE CASES INV ENT OR.

Oct. 6, 1942-. A. L EvlNE GARMENT CARRYING FRME FOR LUGGAGE CASES n Filed oct. 6, 1959v 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 6, 1942 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT CARRYING FRAME FOR' LUGGAGE CASES Application October 6, 1939,-Serial No.298g192 (Cl. 19t-41)A 4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to improvements in garmentl carrying frame for use in luggage cases and the like.

The inventionv has for an object to provide a novel, simple, compact and easily operated garment carrying frame which is manipulatable to fold and retain garments applied thereto in smoothly spread, compact condition subject to packing and carrying within a desired' compartand folding section, the latter being pivotallx7V supported by said' standard section; said frame,

so constituted; being adapted to provide a unitaryV structure separable from the caseA per' se, and

consequently capable of being bodily shifted, atk

will, between a packed position within a desired part of the case interior, such, e. g., as the interior of the case cover portion, and a readily accessible supported` position in connection with the case for convenient manipulation thereof in applying garments thereto or removing the same therefrom, such, e. g., as in upstanding aiiixed relation to an exterior wall of the case body portion.

'I'he invention has for another object to provide .the garment frame and case portions with cooperative means selectively engageabl'e to mount `and hold the frame in either of the positions above mentioned.

The|` invention has for a further object to provide, in connectionv with the frame structure per se, a novel construction of means for pivotally interconnecting the standard section and revolvable section, including stop means for yieldably retaining said revolving section against turning movement when disposed in the plane of said standard section.

Other objects' of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the'same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are.55

shown in theA accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective `View of an open luggage case equipped with the novelt garment carrying frame according tov this invention; said frame being shown in its accessibly supportedI position, upstanding atA the front of thev case body, subject to convenient' manipulation in applying or removing garments'to or from the same.-

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional View through an open: luggage caseequipped with the novel garment carrying frame; said frame. being shown by full lines as secured ini packed position within theV case` coverporti-on, andV beingV further shown by broken lines in the upstandingr accessibleposition at the front of the case body, to which position itis bodilytransferable.

Fig. 3 isv a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View,` taken online 3 3 in.` Fig., 2, but showing the garment carrying frame portions in full lines.

Fig. 4 is ak fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View, takenr on line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig w5` is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the pivotalV joint means interconnecting the standardv section and' revolving sectionY of the frame, the same showing thev latter in yieldably stopped relation to the former;A Fig. 6 is a similarview,A showing the ,revolving section-released from the yieldable stop means and in the process of turning relative to the standardv section; and'v Fig. 7 is an exterior face View of the parts disposed asin Fig; 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the means for suspending the frame structure in packed and` supported relation toI the interior of the case cover portion, said means being disposed in relative positions wherein the cooperate ing elements thereof are about to be operatively engaged; and Fig. 9 isl a similar view showing the cooperating elements ofsaid means as operatively engaged.'

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of the frame structure, the same being shown inA its upstandingaccessible position at the front of the case body; Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryy transverse sectional View, taken on line lI-Il in Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a` view, similar4 to that of Fig. 4,' but showing the modi-- lied form of frame structure.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above-described views, to indicate corre'- sponding parts.

In the drawings, the reference character l indicates the body of a luggage case and 2` indicates the cover portion thereof whichV is suitably hinged thereto for relative opening and closing movements. Collapsible stay devices 3 are pivotally interconnected between said body I and cover portion 2, to hold the latter in upright open relation to said body when desired.

The novel carrying frame according to this invention, in the illustrative embodiment thereof shown in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, includes a standard section formed by a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical standard members 5 connected together, at points spaced above their lower extremities, by a cross bar 6, whereby the lower end portions 'I, which project below said'cross bar 6, form supporting legs, the purpose of which will presently appear. At their upper end portions, said standard members 5 are formed to provide inwardly offset bearing portions 9, in which are provided suitably disposed bearing openings I0. tively radially offset above and below said bearing openings I0, are exteriorly projecting stopbosses I I, which'are preferably pressed outwardly from the material of said bearing portions il.

Supported by said standard section, so as to be capable of being turned about between the standard members 5 thereof, is the revolvable section of the garment carrying frame structure. Said revolvable section comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart side members I2 connected together, at points adjacent the lower end portions thereof, by one or more transverse bottom folder bars I3, and further connected together, at their upper end portions by a hollow, downwardly open combined garment suspension and top folder bar I4. Aixed to said upper end portions of said side members I2, to cooperate with the adjoined ends of said bar I4, are suitably shaped, enlarged guard members I5, adapted to serve as means to retain garments, when applied to the revolvable section, from accidental displacement relative to the ends of said bar I4. Intermediate theirupper and lower end portions, said side members I2 are provided with outwardly projecting journal studs I`6 which are engaged in the bearing openings IU of the bearing portions 9 with which said standard members 5 are provided, thus supporting the revolvable section in connection with the standard section,. for revolving movement relative thereto. Said side members of the revolvable section are provided, in the exterior faces thereof which are opposed to the bearing portions 9 of the standardsection,` with depressed stop sockets or seats I'I, spaced equally from, and respectively radially offset above and below said journal studs I6, and thus disposed for cooperation with the stop bosses II with which the bearing portions 9 of said standard section are provided. Arranged in connection with the free ends of the respective journal studs I6, as projected through the bearing openings I0, are bowed spring members I8 through the midportions of which said journal studs I6 extend.y The extremities of said journal studs I6 are provided with diametrically enlarged portions or Vheads I9 to engage said spring members I8.- The oppositely extending resilient arms 20 of said spring members tensionally bear against the bearing portions 9, so as to cause the spring members to exert an outward thrust or pull upon the journal studs I6 which is transmitted to the side members I2 of the revolvable frame section, whereby the stop sockets or seats I'I of the latter, when registered or aligned with the opposed stop bosses I I of the bearing portions 9, are drawn into operative engagement therewith, to thereby yieldably hold the revolvable Spaced equally from, and respec-A section against rotative displacement relative to the standard section, when the former is disposed in the perpendicular transverse plane of the latter.

' Secured to the upper end portions of the standard bars 5, so as to engage over and around the bearing portions 9 of the latter, and thus enclose the journal studs I6 and cooperating spring members I 8, are suitably shaped chambered cover casings 2 I.

Axed to the standard bars 5 are suitably shaped and located handle-loops 22, by means of which the frame structure as a whole may be manually grasped and bodily moved, at will, for

transfer between its exteriorly accessibly supported position and its packed position.

Provided in connection with the garment suspension and top folder bar I4 of the revolvable section of the frame Structure is a transverse carrier bracket 23, which is aixed to one wall of said bar I4, intermediate the ends of the latter and so as to extend across its bottom opening, with its free end extending beyond the other wall cf said bar I4 and terminating in an upturned stop projection 24. Over this carrier bracket 23 may be detachably engaged the suspension hook 25 of a garment hanger 26.

The means for detachably supporting the frame structure in a readily accessible, exteriorly exposed upstanding position in connection with the open luggage case, e. g., so as to stand upright above and substantially in the plane of the exterior front Wall 21 of the case body I, comprises suitably spaed vertically open socket pieces 28 which are affixed to the inner faces of said wall 2l, adjacent to the top margins thereof. To operatively engage the frame structure with said socket pieces 28, the lower end or leg portions 'I of the standard members 5, are entered in and passed downwardly through said socket'pieces 28 until stopped by the abutment of the cross bar 6 of the standard section against the upper ends of said socket pieces (see Figs. 2 and 3 more particularly). In this arrangement and disposition, the standard section is upheld in a substantially rigid, freely projecting upright stationary condition, so that the revolving section may be unobstructedly turned about its pivotal connection therewith. When in such disposed position, the garment carrying frame is most conveniently arranged for manipulation in applying and folding garments desired to be carried thereby for packing in smoothly supported and retained condition within a compartment or space of the luggage case interior, such e. g. as the interior of the case cover portion 2.

To apply garments to the carrying frame, thus disposed to receive application of the same thereto, a garment G, as shown by broken lines in Fig. l, is rst hung in the usual manner upon the garment hanger 26, whereupon the latter is hooked to the carrier bracket 23, so as to suspend the garment from the combined suspension and top folder bar I4 of the revolvable section of the frame structure, to hang lengthwise across the forward side of said revolvable section and across the bottom folder bars I3 thereof, With the garment thus initially applied thereto, the revolvable section of the frame is thereupon revolved about its pivotal connection with the standard section, in the direction of the arrow applied in Fig. 2. When the revolvable section is thus turned, the bottom folder bars I3 will engage the garment G so as to cause the latter to fold around the same, and, if the garment is of considerable length, turning ofthe revolvanext engaged and folded exteriorly around the top folder bar I4, and then again about the bottom folder bars I3, and so on until the length of the garment is fully wound around .or folded back and forth between the top and bottom folder bars. It will be obvious that as many turns of the revolvable section as may be required. can be effected until the garment is entirely folded up and disposed within the end limits of the revolvable'section, whereupon said revolvable section is finally brought into vertical alignment with the plane of thev standard section in which` position the yieldable stop bosses lII and cooperating seats I1 will engage to retain the frame sections in such relation ready for final packing: into the luggage case interior.

When the garment or garments are applied. to and operatively folded upon the carrier frame, the operator, by grasping the handle loops22, may lift the frame out of the supporting socket pieces 28, and thereupon bodily transfer the same to the luggage case interior into which it is desired to be packed. The carrying frame, with the garments applied thereto, is, in connnection with most types of portable luggage cases, generally desired to be packed within the interior of the cover portion of the case.

Means are provided for securing the carrying frame in packed position within the luggage case interior, as, e. g., within the interior of the cover portion of the case. To this end, frame suspension and securing devices of novel character are suitably aiiixed to the interiorVv faces of the sides of the case cover portion 2 adjacent to its free end, as distinguished from its hinged end. These devices comprise endwise` open hanger brackets 29 disposedtransversely to the vertical plane of the cover portion interior, and formed to provide face walls 30 spaced outwardly from the interior faces of said cover portion sides, to which they are affixed. Formed in the lengths of said face walls 30 are receiving slots 3I which` are open at their outer ends. Formed in the low'- er margins of said slots are a series of spaced serrations or stop teeth 32. Provided adjacent to' the upper end portions of the revolvable section of the carrying frame, are suitably affixed outwardly projecting suspension lugs 33. These lugs 33 are disposed in oblique angular relation to the vertical face plane of the carrying frame. When engaging these suspension lugs 33 with the hanger brackets 29, the carrying frame is inclined by the operator so as to dispose the plane of said suspension lugs parallel to the axes of the hanger bracket receiving slots 3Il (in the manner shown in Fig. 8). When in such position, said suspension lugs 33 may be passed into the slots 3l, so as to be disposed to engage selected serrations or stop teeth 32, whereupon, by allowing the carrying frame to swing down into and parallel to the vertical plane of the cover portion interior, the lower margins of said suspension lugs will engage behind the selected serrations or stop teeth 32, while the upper margins thereof will substantially abut the upper margins 3I of said hanger bracket receiving slots 3I, which are so spaced relative to the bottoms of said serrations or stop teeth as to thus cooperate with the suspension lugs (see Fig. 9). By this novel arrangement, not only is the carrying frame, as entered and packed into the cover portion interior, suspended therein, but is also securely held or locked against accidental displacement dr releaseof its thusv engaged end portion fromlsuch suspended relation to and within the case cover portion.

Since various garments, which it may be desired to fold; supportr and pack in connection with the carrying frame, may differ substantially in length, wherebyv different types of garments may require more or less revolving turns of the revolvable section of the frame in order to attain completely folded conditionthereof, it follows that, with garments' folded thereon, theV revolvablev section may be finally disposed relative to the standard sectiony with the lower end upward, rather than the upper end as above described. As a consequence of this, provision is made to permit suspension of the frame within the case cover portion from the lower end of the revolvable section as well as' from its'upper end, and to this end, similar oblique suspension lugs 33' are provided for outward projection from the lower' end portionslof the side members I2 of the revolvable section of the frame.

In order to provide clearance for the passing of the suspension lugs 33 and 33A when the revolvable section of the frame is turned relative to the standard section thereof, the standard members 5 of the latter section are provided with properly disposed outwardly bowed portions 5',

When-the carrying frameis lodged in the described suspended relation to and within the interior of the case cover portion, means are also provided to releasably engage and secure the lower portion thereof against outswinging displacement from the case cover portion interior. An Iillustrative form of this means comprises housing members 34 which areafxed in suitable locations to the interior faces of the case cover portion side walls, and which pivotally support outwardly extending upwardly yieldable spring-pressed latch arms 35. Formed along the underside margins of said latch-arms 35 are a seriesof serrations or latching teeth 36. Fixed in connection with the standard arms 5 of the frame standard section are'laterally projecting lock pins 31; which, in an illustrative arrangementV thereof as shown, project inwardly from the bowed portions 5 of said standard arms 5. After the carrying frame is engaged within the case cover portion and in suspended relation to and from the hanger brackets 29, and its lower end thereupon swung inwardly into the interior of said cover portion, said lock pins 31 are thereby carriedbeneath and into engagement with selectedlatching teeth 35 of said latch arms 35, so as` to be releasably retained in place within said cover portionfsee Figs. 2 and'4) It will beunderstood that to unpack the carrying frame and its contained garments, said latcharms 35 are manually lifted to release the lowerendof the frame, which is thereupon swung outward so asto permit, in turn, the rsuspension lugs to be `disengaged from the hanger brackets, whereupon the carrying frame may be grasped and bodily transferred to upstanding position at the front of the case body, so that the revolvable section may be reversely revolved to thereby unfold and support the garments in initial straight hanging disposition subject to removal from the frame.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive, the novel carrying frame, comprising the standard section and revolvable section, is therein illustrated as provided with a modified form of means for initially applying garments thereto, for suspension therefrom subject to folding by turning the revolvable section. In this modified arrangement hanger supporting bracket devices 38 are aiiiXed to corresponding extremities ofthe revolvable section side members I2; said bracket devices being joined by a transverse tie bar 39 extending between the rearward margins thereof. Said bracket devices 38 may be provided with projectible telescopically collapsible extension arms 4l), having enlarged heads 4| at their free outer extremities. This type of suspension fixture or head is adapted to receive and support removable hanger bars 42 having hook-like eX- tremities 43 to engage respectively over the bracket devices 38 and their extensions 40, so that the hanger bars 42 bridge across and between the same. In the use of this modied type of carrying frame, the garment G (see dotted representation thereof in Fig. is doubled on itself across and so as to hang from a hanger bar l42, the latter being thereupon applied to and supported by and between the bracket devices. 'Since the garment thus primarily folded over the hanger bar 42 is thus halved in length, complete folding thereof may in most cases be obtained by rotating the revolvable section but a halfturn, as, e. g., in the direction of the arrow applied thereto in Fig. 10.

It will be understood that various changes, other than those already indicated, may be made in the above described constructions, and that different embodiments of this invention may be made provided they do not depart from the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A demountable garment holding frame adapted for optional supported connection with the cover or body of a luggage case for the purposes described comprising, a standard section including laterally spaced uprights, a revolvable garment folding and carrying section including side members pivotally connected to and between the upper free ends of said standard section uprights to normally dispose said carrying section in the plane of said standard section, and cooperative yieldable stop means between said standard section uprights and said carrying section side members adapted to releasably hold said carrying section against rotative displacement from the plane of said standard section.

2. A demountable garment holding frame adapted for optional supported connection with the cover or body of a luggage case for the purposes described comprising, a standard section including laterally spaced uprights, a revolvable garment folding and carrying section including side members pivotally connected to and between the upper free ends of said standard section uprights to normally dispose said carrying section in the plane of said standard section, cooperative yieldable stop means between said standard section uprights and said carrying section side members adapted to releasably hold said carrying section against rotative displacement from the plane of said standard section, and handleloops axed to said standard section uprights for grasping and manually moving the frame from one to another supported position relative to the luggage case.

3. A demountable garment holding frame adapted for optional supported connection with the cover or body of a luggage case for the purposes described comprising, a standard section including laterally spaced uprights, a revolvable garment folding and carrying section including side members and garment supporting and folding means respectively extending between upper and lower free end portions of said side members, said side members having journal studs projecting from mid-portions thereof and journaled in upper end portions of said standard section uprights to revolvably support said carrying section on the standard section, cooperative yieldable stop means between said standard section uprights and said carrying section side members adapted to normally but releasably hold said carrying section against rotative displacement from the plane of said standard section, and handle'loops affixed to said standard section uprights for grasping and manually moving the frame from one to another supported position relative to the luggage case.

4. A demountable garment holding frame adapted for optional supported connection with the cover or body of a luggage case for the purposes described comprising, a standard section including laterally spaced uprights, a revolvable garment folding and carrying section including side members and garment supporting and folding means respectively extending between upper and lower free end portions of said side members, said side members having journal studs projecting from mid-portions thereof and journaled in upper end portions of said standard section uprights to revolvably support said carrying section on the standard section, cooperative yieldable stop means between said standard section uprights and said carrying section side members adapted to normally but releasably hold said carrying section against rotative displacement from the plane of said standard section, said standard section uprights having free lower vend portions adapted to engage means for upstandingly supporting the frame from the luggage case body, the respective ends of said carrying section side members having externally projecting suspension lugs to engage means for suspending the frame in packed position within the interior of the luggage case cover, and handleloops affixed to said standard section uprights for grasping and manually moving the frame from one to another such supported position relative to the luggage case.

ABRAHAM LEVINE. 

